Vending-machine.



A. RUNYUN.

VEND-ING MAGHINE.

nrmcnxou FILED nu. a, 190s.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INI/ENTOR untyo lf f l Afiormyr WJTNESSES.-

A. BUNYUN.

VBNDDG MACHINE.

Arrmcxrlox Imm un. a, 190s.

Patented Sept 15, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WJTNESSES [Nl/ENTR @new d? /u w G f7 im i /l BY f mfc? f /f Alomeys 1u: mln: una cm. rugueux. n c.

A. RUNYON.

VENDING MACHINE.

Ermonmn um nx. a. 190s.

898,980. Patented septk 15, 1908-.

iSHBBTS-BHBRT 3. Fifty 3.

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A. RUNYON.

VENDING MACHINE. nrmculon ULEB aux. a, 190s.

898,930. J Patented sept. 15,1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR nu man nuns m. 'Ammann'. A a

ALEXANDER RUNYON, OF MUSCATINE, IOWA.

VENDING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Application filed March 3, 1908. Serial No. 418,979.

T o all whom. 'it may concern:

Be it known that I. ALEXANDER RUNroN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muscatine, in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vemling-tiachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description cf the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the -art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in vending machines and more particularly to that class adapted to be used for vending small articles or packages, suc-h as lead pencils or other similar articles and my object is to provide controlling means for releasing the article-deliveriin; mechanism.

A further object is to provide means for preventing the loss of the coin whenthe parts of the machine are not properly set to receive the coin.

A still further object is to prevent the operation of the delivering parts of the vender when the magazine thereof is empty and a still further object is to provide means for setting the rel( asing mechanism, whereby a coin of a predetermined size will be required to operate the locking mechanisml Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a pers )ective view of my improved vending machine complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical, scctional view through the vender, showing the upper portion thereof broken away. Fig. 3 is a' vertical sectional view as seen on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view as seen on line 4-1, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail, sectional view as scen on line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a similar sectional View, showing a slightly modified form of means for removing a coin, and, Fig. 7 is a det-ail, sectional view showing a slightly modified form of device for releasing the delivering mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout' the several views, 1 indicates the casing of my improved vending machine, to which is secured a removable cover or closure 2, which cover may be secured to the casing in any preferred manner, as by means of a lock 3.

One upper edge of the casing 1 is removed to form an inclined face 4, below which is located a suitable article receptacle 5, and in this instance, I have shown the same as adapted to hold a plurality of lead pencils 6, or similar articles, the receptacle being formed by placing cleats 7 on the two end walls of the casing, said cleats being inclined towards their lower ends and brought substantially together, a space or opening S, being left between the. converging cleats of sufficient width to admit of the delivery of the pencils one at a time and in order to readily ascertain when the receptacle is nearly empty, the inclined face 4 and front wall of the casing l are. provided with panels of glass t), or similar transparent material. i

Slidably mounted below the converging edge of the receptacle 5, is a delivering ilunger 10, one end of the plunger extending beyond the front wall of the casing 1 and having thereon a hand-hold 11, by which means the lungcr may be readily moved longitudinal y.

Extending laterally across the plunger 1() and at a point adapted to register with the opening S, at the lower end of the receptacle 5, is a gut-ter 12 to receive the pencil 6, as it descends from the receptacle, the depth of the gutter being equal to the diameter of the pencil and in order to prevent the pencil from caving the gutter when the plunger is being moved outwardly, a shield 13 is placed above the plunger between the front cleats 7 and the forward wall of the casing.

To prevent the withdrawing of the plunger 10 until such time as a coin has been ro erly deposited in the casing, I provideociiing bars 14, which extend rearwardly from each edge of the plunger 1() and are )rovided with vertical portions 15 adjacent tlheir longitudinal centers and horizontal portions 16 from the vertical portions rearwardly, the horizontal portions 16 being entered through cli is 17 to form bearings therefor.

`ixed to a shaft 18, are links 19, through the outer ends of which extends a shaft 20, said shaft being of sufficient length to extend in the path of the vertical portions 15 of the locking bars when the links are in their lowered position, thereby holding the plunger 10 vit-hin the casing 1 until such time as the shaft- 2() is elevated above the vertical portionfnl.

The shaft 1S is rotatably mounted in bearings 21 and has adjustably secured thereto a Y trigger 22, which depends from the shaft 1S and in the path of the. upper end of a coin receptacle 23, said receptacle being slidably mounted on guides 24 carried by standards 25 and 26, the coin receptacle having a vertical slot 27 adapted to receive a coin 28.

The coin is delivered to the receptacle 23 through a chute 29 extending downwardly through the cover 2, the lower end of the chute 4terminating immediately over the vertical slot 27 in the receptacle 23 when said receptacle is in its rearward position, the downward movement of the eoin'being limited by means of a slide 30, extending into the vertical slot 27 from the lower end thereof, the upper end of the slide having a coneavity 31 therein to receive the coin and, by retaining the coin adjacent the upper end of the slofJ 27, said coin will engage the trigger 22 as the plunger is moved forwardly and elevate the shaft 20 above the vertical portion 15 of the locking bars, thereby permitting the plunger to move outwardly a suliieient distance to deliver the article resting in the gutter 12 and at the same time the coin is moved upwardly and out of the slot 27 by mounting the lower end of the slide 3() on an inclined guide bar 32, the coin dropping into the bottom of the casing 1.

The trigger 22 is adjustably mounted on the shaft 18 in any preferred manner, as by means of a set-screw 33 and when the trigger is set for a coin of a predetermined size, a coin of a smaller size will fail to release the article delivering part-s as the shaft will not raise above the vertical portions 15 and to prevent the trigger from being operated through the forward movement of the coin receptacle 23, the upper end of said receptacle is provided with a channel 34, which channel is in alinement with the trigger 22, whereby when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly, the trigger will enter said channel and if there is no coin in the receptacle, the trigger will not be operated to elevate the shaft 20.

In view of the fact that the plunger and locking bars carried thereby move forwardly simultaneously with the upward movement of the shaft 20, the links 19 are of sufficient length to extend the shaft a suilicient distance forwardly of the vertical portions 15 to permit the shaft to clear the path of the vertical portions before the vertical portions are moved forwardly a sufficient distance to engage the shaft and as the plunger and coin receptacle may be moved forwardly until the yvertical portions engage the shaft 20, providing there is no coin in the vertical slot 27, said vertical slot would be moved out of alinement with the lower end of the chute 29, whereby a descending coin would fail to enter the vertical slot and to prevent the coin from becoming lost, a platform 35 is secured to the coin receptacle 23 adjacent its upper end and extends rearwardly therefrom, said platform being adapted to travel below the lower end of the chute when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly, thereby preventing the coin from leaving the chute until such time as the vertical slot is in registration with the lower end of the chute, said platform being of sullicient length to always extend below the chute when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly.

The coin receptacle is caused to move forwardly with the plunger 1() by means of a rod 36, one end of the rod being secured to the coin receptacle 23 while the forward end thereof is provided with a hook 37, the rod being of sullicient length to extend the hook 37 beyond the opening S at the lower end of the receptacle 5, so that when a pencil descends into the gutter 12, it will rest in the path of the hook 37 and will be engaged by the hook when the plunger is moved forwardly, thereby simultaneously moving the coin receptacle forwardly and elevating the shaft 20. To iermit the plunger to move forwardly a su'lhcient distance to deliver the. pencil carried by the plunger and in order to return the coin receptacle with the return of vthe plunger 10, a collar 38 is secured around the rod 36 and adapted to be engaged by the rea-r end of the plunger, as the plunger moves inwardly, thereby returning the coin receptacle to its rearward position.

Instead of employing the slide 30 for limiting the downward movement of the coin and delivering the same from the vertical slot when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly, the channel 34 is extended downwardly a sufficient distance to receive one end of an inclined rod 39, the lower end of the rod being secured to the standard 26 while the opposite end thereof is secured to the upper end of the standard 25 and by this arrangement, it will be seen that the rod will limit the downward movement of the coin and deliver the same from the vertical slot when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly.

As shown in Fig. 7, the trigger 22 may be dispensed with and a trip-board 40 secured to the arms 19, whereby the coin 28 willengage the board 40 and elevate the shaft 20 out of the path of the vertical portions 15, said board being so arranged that the coin receptacle will pass below the same when a coin is not in the slot in the receptacle.

In operation, the receptacle 5 is filled with articles to be vended, one of which passes through the opening S at the bottom of the receptacle and into the gutter 12 and when a coin of the proper size has been deposited in the chute 29, and a forward pull given to the plunger 10, the shaft 2() will be swung upwardly and will rest on the horizontal portions 16 when the plunger is in its forward position and as soon as the article has been removed and the plunger returned to its ini tial position, the horizontal portion 16 will pass from below the shaft 20 and permit said shaft to descend until it rests on that portion of the locking bars in alinement with the,

plunger 10.

lf the receptacle 10 should be empty or one of the articles fail to descend into the gutter 12, the plunger 1() cannot be moved outwardly farther than to engage the shaft 2G with the vertical portions 15 of the locking bar, as the hook 37 would fail to move the coin receptacle forwardly.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very cheap and efficient form of vending machine and one wherein the articles cannot be removed without de )ositing a coin of the proper size and it wi l further be seen that the coin will not become lost by entering the same in the chute at a time when the parts of the vending machine are not in the ro er position to receive the coin and it W' li ewise be seen that the parts of the device are so simple in construction as not to become readily disarranged or inoperative.

What I claim is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination with a easing having a rece tacle therein adapted to hold articles; of a unger slidably mounted below said rece tac e and having a gutter to receive one of t 1e objects from the receptacle, means adapted to lock said plunger in its inward position, a coin receptacle, and means to move the coin receptacle upon the iresence of an article in the gutter coincident to the movement of the plunger and release the locking mechanism when a coin is in the receptacle, the movement of the coin receptacle depending on the article within the gutter.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing having a receptacle therein adapted to contain articles and deliver the same one at a time; of a plunger slidably mounted below said receptacle adapted to receive said article, a coin rece tacle slidably mounted in thel rear of said p unger, means extending from said coin receptacle adapted to be engaged by the article on the plunger and cause the coin receptacle to move forwardly and a locking mechanism having means thereon adapted to extend in the ath of said coin-reeeptawle and be o crate by coin in the receptacle, whereby tie plunger will be released and permitted to move forwardly its full stroke.

3. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing having al receptacle therein adapted to cont-ain articles and deliver tne same one at a time; of a plunger adapted to receive said article, locking bars carried by said plunger, a shaft adapted to engage portions of said locking bar and hold the plunger against longitu linal movement, means depending on the article to be delivered to ele- Avate said shaft and additional means to move a coin into engagement with the elevating mechanism, whereby the shaft may be moved out of engagement with the locking bars and the plunger released.

4. vIn a vending machine, the combination with means for delivering articles; of a plunger, a coin receptacle having a vertical slot, means to deliver a coin in said slot, a rod carried by the coin receptacle ada ted to engage the article carried by the p unger and move the coin receptacle forwardly and a locking mechanism between the plunger and coin rece )taele adapted to be engaged and operated y the coin.

5. In a vending machine, the combination with an article-delivering mechanism therefor; of a coin receptacle having a slot therein, means to deliver a coin in said slot, additional means to limit the downward movement of the coin and release the coin from the slot when the coin receptacle is moved forwardly`and means cooperating with the article delivering mechanism adapted t0 move the coin receptacle forwardly and engage the coin with the locking mechanism, whereby said locking mechanism will be released.

v6. In a vending machine, the combination with an article-delivering plunger, locking bars carried by said plunger having vertica portions, a shaft adapted` to extend in the path of said vertical portions, links supporting said shaft, a pivot-ally mounted shaft at the o i osite ends of said links, a trigger adjusta y mounted on said pivoted shaft and means depending on the article to be delivered adapted to move a coin in the path of said trigger, whereby the shaft at the outer ends of the links will be elevated and the article-delivering plunger released.

7. In a vending inacliine, the combination with an article-delivering plunger, locking bars carried by said plunger, a shaft ada ted to extend in the ath of portions of said ars and hold the p unger against longitudinal movement and a trigger adapted to elevate said shaft and release the lunger; of a coin receptacle having a vertica slot therethrough and a channel adjacent the upper end of the receptacle, means to deliver a coin into said slot, a rod extending forwardly from said receptacle and means on the forward end of the rod ada ted to engage the article on the plunger and) move the coin carried by the receptacle into engagement with the trigger when the plunger is moved forwardly.

8. In a vending machine, the combination with an article-delivering plunger, a locking mechanism therefor and a trigger adapted to operate said locking mechanism; of a coin receptacle having a vertical slot therethrough and a channel at the up er end of the rece tacle, a platform carrie by said rece tac e, means to deliver a coin to said slot an additional means' depending on the article to be delivered to move the receptacle forwardly and the coin into envagement with the trgger, whereby the 10e 'ng mechanism will be Operated and the plunger released.

9. In a veudinff ma of a delivery means engaging an ar the plunger for im eoin reeeptaele an a ehme, the combination punger, a. coin receptacle,

ticle to be delivered by artinv movementto the lociing mechanism to 

